The Inspiring Millennium Fountains of Chicago
I thought I’d break out another poem inspired by travel. This poem is old, and the photo that inspired it is even older. Have you ever looked at old photos, from before we had all kinds of fancy gadgets? I took this photo on my first trip without adult supervision. I was 16, in Chicago and armed with nothing more than a disposable camera. A year later, one of the best teachers I have ever had challenged the class to choose one black and white photo, stare at it for 30 minutes and write a poem. I actually think the circumstances of the trip (being my first taste of traveling alone) and the low quality of the photo had an effect on what I ended up writing.
Millenium Fountains
The silhouettes are shadowed by the skylights
As the water crashes into the ground
And the light seems to burst from the depths
These towers stand above them
Modestly planted
In this sea of spectators
And way beyond the others
The shadowed, awestruck audience
There is a child
So small, she is near mistaken
For a blemish
Or a glitch
But she is dancing
Splashing in the colours
And thirsting for the water
That is falling all around her
—-
Have you ever loved a photo even though you knew that it was of poor quality? Or been inspired by a photograph of a trip that had a special meaning to you?
Rease is a US citizen who fled the Midwest in favor of ex-pat life in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is bilingual and is very capable of cussing you out in Spanish. She loves gaining and sharing knowledge of local cultures, customs and adventure, and she especially loves getting sassy with anyone who gets in her way. Her favorite place in the world is any artisan ice cream shop in Argentina.
